AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
(Graph 2)
Graph 2: Percentage of learning difficulties reported by first-
year teacher students during the exam period
From the results of this initial phase of our research, we
concluded that interpersonal factors and human relationships
play an important role in the early years of first-year college
education, but there are other objective factors that are
noteworthy.
In the next phase of our research, in the 2018/2019 academic
year, we conducted a questionnaire survey with freshly enrolled
first-year teacher students prior to commencement of their
university education, and further expanded our studies to connect
three further Carpathian Basin higher education institutions to J.
Selye University in Komárom. Namely, II. Ferenc Rákóczi
University of Transcarpathia (Beregszász, Ukraine), Partium
Christian University (Oradea, Romania) and University of Novi
Sad at Hungarian Language Teacher Training Faculty (Subotica,
Serbia). As part of our comprehensive research, we conducted a
background questionnaire that asked students about the amount
and quality of their prior studies, as well as the challenges they
face in their new, changed lifestyles, in addition to their family
and home environment. As an integral part of this, we asked
them to formulate their expectations and fears about university
education. We asked the students' opinions on seven areas.
These seven areas are the result of the pilot study mentioned
above, according to which students' perceptions of the quality of
their relationship to these seven factors influence the success or
failure of their university careers. In order to shed light on the
latter, we have focused on the fears, uncertainties, and anxieties
of students, which are important factors in the process of
university integration and successful university studies.
Based on the cumulative results, students had high scores on
their fears about social life (31.20%), fears about teachers
(37.10%), fears about curriculum (44.40%), fears about
requirements (45.50%). They have outstanding fears about
themselves (50.10%) and have extremely high levels of learning
fears (61.10%).
(Graph 3)
Graph 3: Areas of fear of first-year students and their results
showing in percentage
Based on the results obtained, in the next phase of the study, we
identified the two areas that produced the highest rates. These
are students' fears about themselves and their fears about
learning.
Fears about themselves were expressed by half of the
respondents that is 50%, in various respects. 26% of students
have fears about their personal qualities, 16% have fears about
failing their studies and 8% have fears about their lack of ability.
(Graph 4)
Graph 4: The results of the students’ fears related to themselves
Quantitative indicators are also reinforced and supported by
students' verbal revelations, which primarily reflect their fears
about themselves and their learning. Such as “I'm afraid I can't
offer as much as I want; I'm afraid of a lot of things, I'm brave; I
won't stand it; I am afraid I can perform as expected; Will I be
able to adapt ?; I am most afraid of exhaustion. ”
The study participants' fears, which show a significantly high
percentage, were related to learning. Thus, the greatest fears of
first-year teacher students are about learning (61.1%). They are
particularly afraid of scheduling (39%) and of performance
(37%), among whom they are often labeled as "failing, failing
the exam, having to postpone". The next major fear factor was
the curriculum itself (13%). (Chart 1)
Chart 1: Results of testing students’ fears about learning
Thus, the results of this phase of the study lead to the conclusion
that particular attention should be paid to the fears, uncertainties,
and anxieties of first-year teacher education students, whose
indicators are significantly high for themselves and especially
for learning.
3 Some results of international research, compared to results
of our research
We have compared some of the survey results of the four
presented higher education institutions internationally, with
some new and current research results. We have included a
comparative study of the aspects of the Ratio research group,
namely the analysis of the fears and anxieties of university
students, based on a representative study by Jean M. Twenge
(USA 2017, Hungary 2018). This study is considered relevant
because the author came to his conclusion based on 11 million
interviews and comprehensive research from the American
Freshman Survey, the American College Health Association, the
Monitoring the Future, the General Social Survey, and Youth
29,30%
31,70%
22,00%
7,30%
4,10%
Different conditions
Timing schedule
Material amount
Stress, excitement
Failure
Proportion of difficulties during the exam period
31,20%
37,10%
44,40%
45,50%
50,10%
61,10%
Fears about social life
Fears about teachers
Fears about curriculum
Fears about requirements
Fears about themselves
Learning fears
The proportion of student's fear
50%
26%
16%
8%
She/He don't have fears
Fears about their personal qualities
Fears about failing their studies
Fears about their lack of ability
Students' fear related to themselves
39%
13%
11%
37%
Students' fears about learning
She/He don't have fears
Fears about curriculum
Fears about schedule
Fears about performance
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